His invitation was subtle.
After John Smithson picked up a few groceries at The Purple Onion, he took a seat at the open piano - placed next to rows of flowers and boxes of fresh squash under Capitol Market's open-air awning - and began to play.
On the hot and humid June 23 day, the toe-tapping tune "Alley Cat" played from the freshly painted piano, providing shoppers with a short, unexpected soundtrack to accompany their day's chores.
Smithson created a few more on-the-spot melodies by testing the chords in various keys, before drawing his short, unforeseen performance to a close.
"The bench is there and the piano is there. I play whenever I can," Smithson said.
Having played the piano - along with the guitar and ukulele - since he was a kid, Smithson said he didn't think twice about giving the instrument a whirl.
"I could tell it was tuned well. I could tell it was responsive," Smithson said. "I thought, 'Gosh that piano has a good touch. I better sit down and play it a bit.' "
And that's exactly the response FestivALL organizers envisioned with this year's new "Community Keys." Inspired by similar projects in various cities across the U.S., they partnered with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Charleston to paint two secondhand pianos and place them at Davis Park and Capitol Market for people to enjoy during the 10-day art festival.
The ReStore donated two interactive canvases and FestivALL provided $1,000 to afford painting supplies for each piano.
"One of the main things that FestivALL likes to do is just art for art's sake," said Naomi Bays, public arts chairwoman for FestivALL. "It's an intersection of visual art with musical art in a public space."
Bays said, on its face, the pianos are nice visual additions to a public space, but the minute someone sits down to play, a new level of art and beauty is created.
"Or maybe the piano is the catalyst that inspires someone to take piano lessons," she added.
For their piano, the Charleston Art Group, which meets every Tuesday at the ReStore, painted images representative of West Virginia. There's a small black bear sitting under a sugar maple tree on one side. The state bird, cardinal, is placed among the state flower, rhododendron, on the other side.
A member of the art group, Maggie Volkwein, painted an image of a mountain mamma and mountain man on the front of the piano as the two hold a guitar, a banjo and a rifle in a mountainous landscape.
Local artist Bernice Deakins painted an image of the state Capitol on a spring day to cover the back of the piano. The Cass Scenic Railroad snakes across the top of the instrument. A stained-glass image of the New River Gorge Bridge fills in an open space in the front center of the instrument.
The second piano, located under the gazebo at Davis Park in downtown Charleston, has become an animal on its own - an elephant to be exact.
Debbie Moore, art teacher at St. Albans High School, received help from current students and graduates of St. Albans High School to bring the large animal to life.
"I wanted the piano to actually become the design," Moore said.
The elephant was inspired by a mixed-media project completed by Moore's student, Kaitlyn Pulliam.
Upon completion, Moore said the design came together on a number of levels.
"I think the piano is like the elephant of musical instruments. It's so big. To me, it's as big as an elephant."
In addition to a number of current St. Albans students, graduates Paola Garcia, Melissa Jarrett, and Katerina Thongdara contributed to the project as well as Moore's daughter, Sydney.
After the pianos were installed on June 18, Moore, her husband and Sydney and went to visit their work. When they explained their involvement to a group of people who had been playing the instrument, the group's response "kind of made me feel like a celebrity," Moore said.
Amy McLaughin, ReStore director, said used pianos are a common dropped-off item. However, they struggle to find a new home.
"There has to be a way for them [the pianos] to get back into the cycle," McLaughin said.
As a retired resident of the East End, Smithson said, he enjoys riding his bike to Capitol Market.
"That's one of my favorite spots in town," he said.
After the piano was set up in its temporary Capitol Market home, Smithson rode past the market, like he often does, and saw something that caught his eye.
"There were two young girls around it. One was playing and the other was singing. They sounded just fantastic."
Although FestivALL organizers are still working to find a permanent home for the pieces of interactive artwork, Smithson said he hopes the pianos can remain a part of the Charleston community.
"I see music as the universal language. Everybody can identify with it."
Reach Anna Patrick at anna.patrick@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4881.